Schering and AstraZeneca to develop breast cancer drug

The companies are collaborating to develop and commercialize Schering's novel selective estrogen receptor downregulator (SERD,) for the treatment of breast cancer.

AstraZeneca – which is looking to rebuild its pipeline following recent high-profile setbacks of its diabetes drug and lung cancer trials – will lead the clinical development, while Schering will lead the non-clinical and process development along with manufacturing.

The companies plan to co-promote the product in the major territories. All development and commercialization costs and global profits will be shared equally. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Commenting on the collaboration, Peter Zundorf, head of Schering Group's Oncology Global Business Unit, said: “The development of agents that selectively down regulate the estrogen receptor is an exciting and important advance in the treatment of breast cancer. This novel SERD has the potential to offer a specific and targeted therapy approach for women with breast cancer.”

“This agreement further strengthens AstraZeneca's pipeline and builds on AstraZeneca's leading position in the anti-hormonal disease area. The novel SERD has the potential to deliver significant benefit to patients with estrogen-dependent cancers: the lead indication will be breast cancer,” added John Patterson, executive vice president of development at AstraZeneca.